An 8-year-old dancer refuses to give up after losing her leg

Northfield, Ohio – Tessa Puma, eight years old, loves to dance so much that she even does it in her dreams. She won competitions at the age of 5, but by the age of 6, her dreams were almost set aside.

Her parents thought she had the flu. It was actually a life-threatening infection.

"In 15 hours, his entire left side of the body has spread," said Matt Puma, his father.

Tessa's left leg had to be amputated above the knee and her parents stated that she had been told that she had only a 20% chance of survival.

But after two and a half months in the hospital, she succeeded.

Her parents hoped that she would walk again. But Tessa had other ideas.

With a prosthetic leg and painful skin grafts on more than 40% of his body, it was unbearable to relearn how to dance. Tessa's dance teacher, however, said that her prosthetic leg had not slowed her at all. Even more impressive: she continues to raise her hand.

She already knows that she wants to become a dance teacher when she will be great. But on the dance floor of her living room where she practices every day, even she has trouble teaching someone who has two left feet.

Tessa is competing again and she recently made her first solo performance since her illness.

"Never give up," she says.

These are words to live of an 8 year old child who lives his dream.

Tessa Puma is trying to teach Chip Reid how to dance.

CBS News